


There's Nothing Quite as Wonderful

by orphan_account



Series: There's Nothing [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Apparently the first part was too sad so i have to atone for my mistakes, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-02 15:00:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19443823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: It's worth it. It's hard work, but all good things are, because there's nothing quite as wonderful as being with the person you love.





	There's Nothing Quite as Wonderful

It’s worth it.

It’s so hard – so, so, _incredibly_ hard – but unbelievably worth it. The media circles like wolves at first, violent and blood thirsty and watching for weakness, printing article after article, running on air segments, headlines day in and day out naming Tony any number of disgusting names.

Many a screaming match over the news devolves into Peter sobbing his heart out or Tony having a panic attack on their living room floor, walking out on each other and threatening to break it all off more than once – who wants to live with pain like this everyday? Who’s gonna _survive_ hurt like that?

But for every fight that ends in silence and cold shoulders and endless days of painful anxiety, there’s those that become more- Tony will grab Peter’s wrist, tugging him back just before he enters the elevator, wrapping him up and refusing to let go until Peter stops crying because, _how can I let my whole world walk way from me?_

Or Peter will cuddle Tony close while he’s shivering on the floor, rubbing his back, whispering soothing sweet nothings into his ear, promising a forever by Tony’s side, wrapping him up and refusing to let go because, _how could I ever let you go now that you’re mine?_

Time passes and the media moves on to whatever circus they manage to curate next, the paparazzi disperse to find a more problematic subject, and eventually Peter and Tony can walk out the door hand in hand without anyone sparing them a second glance on these busy New York streets.

Tony looks over at Peter, smiling softly as they walk.

_There’s nothing quite as wonderful as being free to be with the person you love._

**

Peter never quite manages to forgive Steve.

It’s because he doesn’t try very hard at all, if he’s being honest. It’s hard to find it in yourself to forgive the person who’s caused the person you love an immeasurable amount of pain.

There’s nights when, after an Avengers meeting, Tony will curl up under the shower spray, ugly, heaving sobs wracking his frame as he cries, on the border of an attack he tries so hard to fight.

And on these nights, while he’s holding Tony close and letting the man sob into his shoulder, carding his fingers through damp hair, Peter finds some small part of himself wishing that Steve Rogers one day feels even a fraction of Tony’s pain, pain Steve had personally caused, pain he was personally responsible for.

As they walk out of the court house, Morgan bouncing and babbling in Tony’s arms, recounting for Peter an utterly fascinating and riveting tale from the classrooms of kindergarten, he spares a second to twist around and take in Steve, utterly shattered and crying in Bucky’s arms because he’d lost any and all rights to his only daughter.

He doesn’t even try to fight the twist of satisfaction.

Peter looks ahead at Tony, smiling softly as he trails behind the father-daughter pair that races to the ice cream truck.

_There’s nothing quite as wonderful as seeing someone that’s hurt the person you love, get what they deserve._

**

Tony puts the StarkPad aside for a few moments, elbows dropping to his knees as he watches.

Morgan tilts the teapot at an angle that has the lid falling off, likely would’ve resulted in an explosion of tea if there was any to be found, but as it is she places the lid back on and continues merrily, finishing pouring her air into Peter’s cup, standing by his side and watching eagerly, eyes wide and hopeful as she waits for Peter to take a sip.

Peter waits a few seconds before groaning his satisfaction, lauding Morgan’s tea as a thrum of pleasure shoots through Tony at the sound. Peter rubs his stomach and begs for more, pouting when Morgan turns away with glee, pouring her ‘ _delicious_ tea’ into the next cup.

He decides enough work’s been done for the day, getting up off the couch and taking a seat next to Peter, begging for a cup of his own.

Tony looks over at Peter when he’s laughing with Morgan, smiling softly as they play.

_There’s nothing quite as wonderful as watching the people you love, find love in each other._

**

It happens mid-summer, a few months after the custody hearing. It’s been just as long since Tony has seen Steve, and he looks happier and healthier than Peter has ever seen him, even before that day in the Tower, and he’s effused with a warm pride at how far his boyfriend‘s come.

There was a time, Peter remembers with an ache, when seeing Steve on TV, seeing a picture, even hearing his name would send Tony’s heart rate skyrocketing, breathing shallow and shaky, and all Peter wanted to do while coaxing him away from the verge of a panic attack was hide him away from the world.

Because the world had already caused Tony Stark too much pain.

But like with all wounds, time and distance heal this too, Tony no longer sent spiraling at the mere mention of Steve’s name.

Doesn’t change the fact that Peter’s first instinct upon catching sight of Steve in Central Park is to herd Morgan and Tony in the opposite direction. He doesn’t get the chance, because Steve’s looking up from his sketchbook and calling out for Morgan and Tony looks as though he’s formed roots in the grass, utterly immovable, and Peter doesn’t quite know what to do with himself.

But before he’s forced to decide, Tony’s stepping forward between Steve and then _that’s my family, asshole, you need to stay the fuck away._

_It doesn’t have to be like this, Tony, I just wanna see my daughter. Morgan, don’t you wanna say hi to your papa?_

And Peter’s heart is caught in his throat because Tony looks absolutely fucking furious and he opens his mouth to say something, anything when-

_You made daddy cry. So I don’t like you. And you’re not my papa, Petey is._

She’s flouncing away like she has no idea what she’s just said, how fundamentally she’s changed the lives of three people forever as Peter watches wonderstruck, Steve gawks, and Tony looks fond and pleased in equal measure, as if he’d know this is what it would come to all along.

Then he turns around, gauntlet forming around his hand mid-spin to land a solid hit to Captain America’s nose, thick red streaking Steve’s hand as it comes up to cradle his injury, the satisfying _crack_ of the appendage breaking a balm to Peter’s injured soul.

He catches sight of Bucky rushing over from behind Steve’s shoulder, but Tony’s already shaking his hand out and wrapping his arm around Peter’s waist, smug as shit grin playing on his lips and Peter looks up at his boyfriend, smiling softly as they walk.

_There’s nothing quite as wonderful as watching the person you love heal, grow, find peace and become better._

**

It’s worth it.

Every single second of every single day – in the lab, in their bed, surrounded by people or all alone, cooking together or playing with Morgan, inventing together or simply waking up next to each other – Tony can’t help but confess that every ounce of pain and heartbreak and suffering they had endured to get to this moment had been absolutely, utterly, entirely worth it.

He watches Peter, smiling softly as his husband’s eyes blink open, smile brighter than the light of a thousand suns.

_There’s nothing better than being with the person you love._

**Author's Note:**

> [@starkerchemistryy](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/starkerchemistryy) on tumblr, come say hi! :)


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